Couple backs effort to provide homeless children with food-filled backpacks

Couple backs effort to provide homeless children with food-filled backpacks

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Updated: 6:04 PM EDT Mar 14, 2019

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COMMUNITY. >> HOLD ON. JUST PACK FIVE MORE. JENNIFER: INSIDE WILLIAM PACA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL VOLUNTEERS FROM THE FIRST UNITARIAN CHURCH OF BALTIMORE ARE FILLING BACKPACKS WITH THE MOST COMMON OF HOUSEHOLD STAPLES. >> SERIAL, MILK, JUICE. JENNIFER: PUNITIVE BUTTER, PRETZELS, PROTEIN BARS, FRUIT, EVEN UTENSILS. THEY ARE JAM PACKED TO HELP FEED THE SCHOOL’S HOMELESS POPULATION. >> ALL SHELF STABLE FOOD SO IF THEY’RE LIVING SOMEWHERE AND CAN’T PUT IT INTO A REFRIGERATOR OR AN OVEN, THEY CAN EAT IT AND THE CHILDREN CAN EAT IT THEMSELVES. >> WHEN WE GET HUNGRY, WE EAT IT. JENNIFER: AT THIS SCHOOL, THERE ARE 31 PACKS. STUDENTS LIKE INGRID GET ONE EVERY FRIDAY WITH ENOUGH FOOD TO GET HER AND TWO SIBLINGS THROUGH THE WEEKEND. >> WE LIKE THE FOOD THAT WE GAVE US. AND WE EAT IT TOGETHER AS A FAMILY. JENNIFER: THE BACKPACK PROGRAM WAS STARTED 9 YEARS AGO BY RETIRED HUSBAND AND WIFE CHRISTIAN AND KEVIN WILSON AFTER LEARNING OF THE NEED, THEY FELT COMPELLED TO HELP. >> BECAUSE IT HAS TO BE DONE. >> PEOPLE WOULD NEVER LET THEIR CHILDREN GO HUNGRY AND YET SOME PARENTS HAVE THAT HORRIBLE FEELING THAT THEY HAVE TO TELL THEIR CHILDREN THAT THEY DON’T HAVE FOOD. I GET CHILLS SAYING THAT. JENNIFER: THE WILSON’S STARTED WITH FIVE PACKS. NOW, THEY WORK WITH THE NON PROFIT HEARTS PLACE SERVICES TO BUY THE FOOD FROM THE MARYLAND FOOD BANK. THEY’VE EXPANDED TO 11 SCHOOLS, FEEDING 200 CHILDREN EACH WEEKEND. IN ADDITION TO A BACKPACK EACH CHILD IS ALSO SENT HOME WITH A LOAF OF BREAD. THE PRINCIPAL AT WILLIAM PACA SAYS THE IMPACT HAS BEEN BEEN IMMENSE. >> HELPING THEM HAS ALSO BEEN HELPING US BECAUSE OUR PARENT VOLUNTEERING INCREASED BY THREE FOUR TIMES COMPARED TO PREVIOUS YEAR. JENNIFER: THE WILSON’S SAY THEY’VE ONLY BEEN ABLE TO HELP A FRACTION OF HOMELESS STUDENTS IN BALTIMORE, SO THIS IS SOMETHING THEY SAY THEY PLAN TO DO FOR YEARS TO COME. >> YES. UNTIL WE FEED EVERY SINGLE HOMELESS CHILD. THEN I WILL BE HAPPY.

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Couple backs effort to provide homeless children with food-filled backpacks

For a Baltimore husband and wife, what started as an effort to help feed a handful of children has grown into a weekly operation feeding hundreds. It's made possible through volunteers and partnerships and it's making a difference for kids who, once they leave school, have no permanent place to call home. Inside William Paca Elementary School, volunteers from the First Unitarian Church of Baltimore fill backpacks with the most common of household staples, such as cereal, milk, juice, peanut butter, pretzels, protein bars, fruit and even utensils. The backpacks help feed the school's homeless population."All shelf-stable food, so if they're living somewhere and can't put it into a refrigerator or an oven, they can eat it," said Pamela Wilson."When we get hungry, we eat it," said Ingrid, a student.At William Paca, there are 31 backpacks. Students, such as Ingrid, get one every Friday. It is filled with enough food to get Ingrid and two siblings through the weekend."We like the food that they gave us and we eat it together as a family," Ingrid said.The backpack program was started nine years ago by retired husband and wife Christian and Pam Wilson. After learning of the need, they felt compelled to help."Because it has to be done," said Christian Wilson."People would never let their children go hungry, and yet some parents have that horrible feeling that they have to tell their children that they don't have food. I get chills saying that," said Pamela Wilson.The Wilsons started with five backpacks. Now, they work with the nonprofit Heart's Place Services to buy food from the Maryland Food Bank. They've expanded to 11 schools, feeding 200 children each weekend.In addition to a backpack, each child is sent home with a loaf of bread. The principal at William Paca said the impact has been immense."Helping them has also been helping us, because our parent volunteering increased by three, four times compared to previous year," said Principal Olia Hardy.The Wilsons said they've only been able to help a fraction of homeless students in Baltimore, so they plan to continue the effort for years to come."Until we feed every single homeless child. And then I'll be happy," said Christian Wilson.

BALTIMORE —

For a Baltimore husband and wife, what started as an effort to help feed a handful of children has grown into a weekly operation feeding hundreds.

It's made possible through volunteers and partnerships and it's making a difference for kids who, once they leave school, have no permanent place to call home.

Advertisement

Inside William Paca Elementary School, volunteers from the First Unitarian Church of Baltimore fill backpacks with the most common of household staples, such as cereal, milk, juice, peanut butter, pretzels, protein bars, fruit and even utensils. The backpacks help feed the school's homeless population.

"All shelf-stable food, so if they're living somewhere and can't put it into a refrigerator or an oven, they can eat it," said Pamela Wilson.

"When we get hungry, we eat it," said Ingrid, a student.

At William Paca, there are 31 backpacks. Students, such as Ingrid, get one every Friday. It is filled with enough food to get Ingrid and two siblings through the weekend.

"We like the food that they gave us and we eat it together as a family," Ingrid said.

The backpack program was started nine years ago by retired husband and wife Christian and Pam Wilson. After learning of the need, they felt compelled to help.

"Because it has to be done," said Christian Wilson.

"People would never let their children go hungry, and yet some parents have that horrible feeling that they have to tell their children that they don't have food. I get chills saying that," said Pamela Wilson.

The Wilsons started with five backpacks. Now, they work with the nonprofit Heart's Place Services to buy food from the Maryland Food Bank. They've expanded to 11 schools, feeding 200 children each weekend.

In addition to a backpack, each child is sent home with a loaf of bread. The principal at William Paca said the impact has been immense.

"Helping them has also been helping us, because our parent volunteering increased by three, four times compared to previous year," said Principal Olia Hardy.

The Wilsons said they've only been able to help a fraction of homeless students in Baltimore, so they plan to continue the effort for years to come.

"Until we feed every single homeless child. And then I'll be happy," said Christian Wilson.